Port Everglades Fort Lauderdale, FL

An epicenter for international trade, Port Everglades is positioned in one of the world’s largest consumer regions, including a constant flow of approximately 156 million annual visitors statewide and 6 million residents within a 100-mile radius.

Port Everglades is the leading U.S. gateway for trade with Latin America, moving about 11% of all U.S./Latin American trade. In Florida, the port is No. 1 for perishable trade and No. 8 in the U.S.

The port’s diversified cargo mix includes containers, refrigerated cargo, new and used automobiles and trucks, dry bulk, breakbulk, RO/RO, boats and yachts, and liquid bulk. Approximately one-third of the transportation fuels consumed in Florida are stored and distributed by companies located within Port Everglades, including jet fuel for five international airports. In addition to cargo operations, Port Everglades hosts more than 4 million cruise passenger movements annually.

With its proximity to the popular Caribbean, Port Everglades is the third busiest cruise homeport in the world. It is a leading container port in Florida and one of the most diverse cargo ports nationally. Port Everglades is also South Florida’s main seaport for receiving energy products, including gasoline and jet fuel. Port customers benefit from direct highway access, an international airport within two miles, state-of-the-art foreign-trade zone warehousing, and a 43-acre international and domestic intermodal container rail transfer facility that makes it possible for cargo shipped to Port Everglades to reach Atlanta and Charlotte by rail within two days, and 70% of the U.S. population in four days.

Port Everglades follows an aggressive, comprehensive 20-Year Master/Vision Plan that focuses on modernizing its facilities to maximize productivity. The plan is updated every few years to review market trends and changes in the cruise, cargo, and energy industries, local planning initiatives, and evolving technologies. Through these plans, Port Everglades has identified 50 infrastructure improvements, with an estimated cost of more than $3 billion that will increase the port’s productivity over the next 20 years. More than half of the projects will be started and/or completed within the next five years. A department of the Broward County government, Port Everglades does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity related to Port Everglades exceeded $26.5 billion in fiscal year 2023. Nearly 193,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the port, including 8,570 people who work for companies providing direct services.